Things Went From Bad To Worse For This Customer
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- Опубликовано: 21 ноя 2024
- In this video I have a look at a customer Chevrolet Trailblazer that was towed in because the battery keeps going dead and it appears the alternator is no longer able to keep up. Well, that is the bad part. The worse part comes later on when it appears he made need a new engine as well.
-Enjoy!
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Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.
Dude! 90 an hour??? By far the best value in the industry. Upstate is lucky to have you.
This is a very poor area. Most indy shops are $65 or less and they are worth about $25 or less lol. At $90 I am almost double the rate of other indy's in the area. Dealers here are about $160 and up and only do warranty work
@@SouthMainAuto completely understand. everything is relative. :) i just love everything you and mrs. o bring to the table!
@@SouthMainAuto the key is, if you are still busy, you are not over charging!
He's a legend up here
@@SouthMainAuto lol down here in the metro area there are tire shops charging around 2x your rate, and their extent of their knowledge outside of tires is "impact gun go pew pew"
I am now 76 and retired with time to write this message that no-one will read. When I was in HS, I took machine shop classes for 4 years, learned .to run a lathe and mill with a dash of other tools. I lived in Cincinnati that was known as a machine tool capital of the country because so many German immigrants settled there and half of them were craftsmen. Cincinnati Milicron, Leblond lathe company and a mom and pop machine tool business on every corner. My father being from German decent was a machinist and I started down that road for awhile. I was about 18 when I blew the synchronizers out of my corvette 4 speed. I tore it down but needed an arbor press to press off the gears. Took the shaft in my parents car and drove a few miles and found a machine shop. Walked in found an old machinist and asked if he would press off the gears. He was a nice old guy and I stood right there as he did it. Did not charge me a dime and I went home to install the new synchronizers and put the 4 speed back in the vette.
What I learned from that were:
1) Once upon a time there were nice people that were willing to give a guy a hand without wanting $160 an hour for everything.
2) Learning how to machine things taught you a lot about how to disassemble and reassemble things.
3) Working with your hands was not a dirty vocation.
4) Nobody cared about insurance and I was allowed to watch the action of pressing off the synchronizers.
5) There was no youtube. Cars were so simple you could just take things apart, could see the problem and could repair with almost no training.
Today I am looking at a wiring diagram to try to fix my air conditioner in my car. I had to stop when the wires led to the ECU. Now what, I can't look into the ECU without an expensive scanner. Now what scanner to buy without being ripped off. And then I can't figure out how to use it. And will it even help to diagnose the problem.
Holy cow this world has become complicated.
Totally agree. I'm 59 and years ago, I had to have a transmission rebuilt. The shop that did it let me watch while they disassembled the transmission, showed now it worked and what worn clutches look like. That demystified transmissions for me. Oh, and I did read your comment, so at least someone did that.
I read your comment. I am 49 years old, a Gen X kid that grew up in the 80's. Graduated Highschool in 1993. Worked in an auto parts store and took auto mechanics in high school. Continued to work for an auto parts store after high school for another four years, then a year as a glass installer in a shop that did almost anything from flat glass to auto glass and commercial store front installations. I learned a ton. Another year and a half as a Fire Alarm technician before going thru an electrical apprenticeship. 24 years later and I am a master electrician with lots of mechanical back ground. I get calls form friends and family all the time and work on just about anything. Have a little lawn mower service routine I do for about 7 or 8 people every spring. For too long, educators in this country have convinced people they need a college education to be anything in this world. I've done alright for myself and married my high school sweetheart who became a nurse. We have two kids, one in college and one finishing high school before going off to join the Navy. They have everything they have because their parents know how to work. There are those I help for free and those that pay me. It balances out in the end. Someday, when I am unable to do the things I do for others, I can only hope that someone will come into my life that will do the same for me. There are still good people in this world. Keep the faith and pay it forward. It's up to us to teach the next generation not the education system. And yes, the world has become complicated.
*_"1) Once upon a time there were nice people that were willing to give a guy a hand without wanting $160 an hour for everything."_*
That was still the case up until the '90s as I was a kid in the '80s and similar experiences when needing help from local general engineering shops.
@@shannoncoffey4298 Amen, brother. 78 here, took wood, metal, and auto shop in HS. I watched a documentary on Henry Ford where he insisted that every single component must be accessible by simply lifting either side of the hood. Now they slap the body over the engine without a single care about the next guy. That's why I sing Merle's song: Are the good times really over for good?
@@shannoncoffey4298 Hello there, your account here is very interesting, things were exactly the same here in Cheshire UK and I think it was probably the same worldwide in the 1950s 60s70s, but the "Litigious Society" spread from the USA virtually wordwide and greed combined with the collapse of society , and empathy for the unfortunate caused by the likes of Thatcher seems like
this is how most things have gone now unfortunately 😕
South Main Auto.. Congratulations on 900K!! That is awesome!
This guy deserves much more. I see some channels with more sub's and I just dont understand...
@@blake8297 I'll have to guess that's because this channel is geared more towards people with more than basic knowledge and skill levels. Basically, a smaller audience, as compared to other channels which are more suited for basic DIYer's.
When I had my shop and my machine shop guy closed down, I cried. He rebuilt hundreds and hundreds of cylinder heads for me and I never had even one single problem. I think those days are gone.
lots of good, reputable machine shops, but there are also some that look at their work as just another job. Nostalgia is another issue.
Comes in for alternator issues and thanks to Mr. O being the observant fellow he is saves customer from throwing money away on a crusher bound ride. And we get educated in the process.
Good job of true customer service.
Customer dud not authorize engine diagnostic time.we don't eat anything
Crusher bound???? That's a LOW mileage vehicle to be sold on Craigslist for $11,000! 😉
I have never seen a leak down test done, make sense. Thankyou for showing this
@alexdowns9558
True but you may get an engine job out of letting a customer know it was not the coil pack. I mean I would rather be honest then deny the job even if I don't charge
Never seen a "side post" battery in Australia. I watch these videos just to hear Eric say "full beans" or "shes a squirter". Ok, the engine is down a bit on one cylinder.........its still got some life left in it. Drive it to it drops, with a new alternator, or a salvage yard alternator. It goes another year or two, its a bonus.
I like to hear him say “that guy “ when someone drives by and honks. 😂
Heck, just unplug that injector and she might run better since the o2 sensor won't be seeing dumped fuel.
Don't forget New York is an "inspection state." Eric himself does such inspections at the shop. If there are any codes set relating to a misfire, the vehicle will fail the inspection and cannot be licensed for use on public roads.
@@Starchfaceyeah tyrannical government up the butt. Had a old 235 6 cylinder ford truck that I drove for over 3 years with a rod slapping around in it, I found out later. I would have kept driving it if I had known that. Junk yard owner told me that is what he found a couple years after I had junked it
@@javaguru7141 O2 cannot see fuel, it sees the unburnt oxygen. Misfires will typically show lean. But yeah, I'd unplug the injector on the dead hole and ride off to Valhalla.
Eric O, just a damn good man doing what damn good men do, Work for the people that pay the bills.
You can be proud of yourself Eric. I started watching your channel probably around 8-9 years ago. About a year ago I had the exact same issue with our car (low compression on one cylinder). Watching this video is like watching myself a year ago. I heard a low compression by cranking the engine over, then I did the compression test, leak down test, found the leaking exhaust valve, put the borescope camera in the cylinder, found rusty discoloration on the valve. Pulled the head. Replaced the valve with the genuine OEM one (for extra piece of mind). Lapped all valves. Put everything back together. The car is as good as new, compression is the same now on all cylinders. This wouldn't be possible without you. I also watch a few other channels, but you had the biggest input of all. You taught me well. Thank you !!!
I would be interested hearing your comment on this: Is having 4 valves per cylinder double the chance of a leaking valve? I think it could be very possible.
@@vincesacca5025 Well it depends how you look at it I guess, from the numbers point of view yes, of course, more valves means more things to go wrong, but on the other hand those things are usually reliable. The only reason why the valve started leaking on our car is because previous owner decided it is a good idea to drive with a cylinder misfire on one of the cylinders for 20 000 miles. I noticed that being logged as a symptom in the notebook all together with the current mileage at the time, the problem was never cured and it seems like that person never tried to chase that again. When we bought the car I quickly identified the problem with the misfire and everything was good again, but the damage must have been done at that point and it was only getting worse from that point onwards and eventually resulted in partial loss of compression on that cylinder. The misfire wasn't constant, but you could feel it at idle every 10 seconds or so.
A very rare person wish the world had more of you 🌎
If you do escape NY and relocate south (and I hope you do) any community would be blessed to have you. I did this exact thing 20 years ago and the quality of my life improved by a factor of 10 when I moved to FL. You're a brilliant mechanic, an honest mechanic and person so remember any community would be lucky to have you and your family there.
Yeah, no more rusty cars. And Rainman Ray is down there.
Florida is not good anymore. Homeowners insurance can cost up to 12k.
No. Mrs O would miss all her friends. She will not want to move. (That's an observation not a disparaging criticism)
Florida is too hot to work on cars in the summer. I'm aNYC transplant for 30 years and thinking of moving to the mid south for a change of seasons and not 100 degree, 100% humidity days.
@@oldcynic6964 Friends don't let friends live in NY.
You and the lovely Mrs. O would do just fine down South. You are our kind of people. We'd be happy to have y'all, even if just for a visit.
Don't have much need for most yankees but you'd fit right in Mr O and you'd love the rust free ways down here
And you will be able to get away from them cold winters, and high taxes in New York.. Rainman got away.. You can too.
@@Mine-zn7op Yeah I think Rainman used to be in Detroit?
@@Mine-zn7op I don't think they would fit in; they were not related before they got married. And taxes there aren't as high as a lot of you southerners like to think.
@@kevinbarry71New York has the highest tax burden of any US state.
the sad fact is shops are closing everywhere, and only the bad ones remain. it's a problem across a lot of industries/occupations.
It's market demand, good work demands top dollar to remain open to keep good hands working in shop. In this throw away society people are less willing to pay for quality when they can junk a good vehicle and buy a cheap hyundai to get around. And without work a business can't stay around long, unless like he said they're crackhead doing quick crap work for thier share of the profits.
Hello Mr Piston! Eric: "That's 215 psi."
Mrs O: "Is that enough?" Hilarious! Excellent leak down testing, the way you let us hear from each location was very educational!
You have elite diagnostic skills. Anyone can turn a wrench. You are a talented technician. Those customers are lucky to have you.
Didn't notice until just now.. Super-Congratulations Mr & Mrs O.. 900,000 utube Subscribers !!
The south now is kind of above Ohio so they may not have to go too far...I would get out of Ohio though lol
@@Jerry-jy7jm Going to be interesting since OH had to vote to ignore their voting laws to put biden on the ticket. guess kamala won't be running there.
I've never done one but I've been told variable cam timing on these is a real "mother lover" and that's putting it mildly! Even GM trained techs say it's a 50-50 crapshoot that lining everything up is near impossible. Better just replacing the engine as a whole. Better for warranty issues, too. Great video, Eric. Keep 'em coming.
I've worked on vortecs many times they are not that difficult to work on
That truck has had a good life! I'm honestly amazed it's still on the road, especially in New York! If it were mine, I'd just drive it until inspection was due, then send it off to the great rust pile in the sky. Hope the owner was able to find a solution that worked for them!
@@rhkips I don’t accept this. I just turned 186k on my ‘16 Ford Transit 250, driven across NY about 35 times a year, 1k per trip, and I fully expect this one to last at least as long as our previous Ford E-whatever, that we finally gave up after 325k. 185k should not be the end of a vehicle.
@@someinconsequentialusernam7799 I would expect a well-maintained '16 Transit to last a long while, too! Sadly though, the Chevy Trailblazers of the era shown in this video were not as well built, and typically didn't last so long. There's also the issue of cost to repair versus cost to replace. A '16 Transit will hold its value due to its use as a work vehicle or commercial people carrier. An '05 Trailblazer is worth basically nothing.
@@rhkips or sell it to some guy who will tow it down to Mexico and they'll drive it until the wheels fall off and it's running on 1 cylinder.
Eric, I just retired. ASE and GM Master L1. 48 years exp. I watch all your videos and enjoy and learn from all of them. Hope to Meet you someday!
"Cut the key off" gets my South Carolina seal of approval.
@@ericl452 Yes Sir. ..Summerville here.
Yes sir just putting down the rain here in North Carolina today just cut key off and go to lunch!
Thats Kakalaky!
Mash on the gas.
You aren't charging enough for your honesty if nothing else. If I was the customer, I'd have you replace/fix the alternator issue, and drive it till it dies. Keep up the good work!
A good, honest mechanic will always fit in anywhere!
except a dealer shop. They would be fired for NOT putting the alternator first. Then discuss the engine is dead.
But he won't make much money if he's honest.
@user above
SMA alone has proven that’s not true.
I bought an old 5 cylinder Colorado with a dead misfire for a few hundred dollars. Did the same test you did and found a bad valve. Removed the head and replace the one valve lapped the head and drove it for a few more years. Good truck
SMA should start a school for mechanics. We need an SMA graduate in every town
What do you think we've been watching these last almost-10 years? 😉
What do you think McCoy was doing?
WHy? Within a decade ICE cars are gone......
@@ceesheemskerk2397 LOL
@@ceesheemskerk2397 he’s very good in electrical diagnostics too. Electrical is gonna be needed in newer cars
90 an hour is great! People are lucky to have you Eric, including the RUclips mechanics like me. I have to watch your videos to keep up with all the constantly changing new tech.
Yep considering most shops wont hook up to a diag for less than $125
90 an hour means you starve to death.the days if major engine work are over.i would suggest the young folks find something more profitable to do as vehicles have become throw away
@@alexdowns9558 You're ignorant if you think you'll starve making that lol
So nice to watch an honest man! Doing what’s right for his customers!
I love your comment about clint eastwood , my mom used to babysit 2 of his kids in the 70s , I've also met him in person years ago and I still live within 20 miles of him in carmel california , he's the only actor I can watch any movie of his , I love his westerns , the greatest actor , director ever , Eric, you have great taste in actors ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Love it! as an aircraft mechanic , I have done many differential compression tests. Aircraft are easier. There is a great big prop out in front to hold on to! On aircraft they use 80 psi only because the guy holding the prop may go flying if it is 100psi! Thanks for the videos!
lol...i know its not funny but i can picture that..
Glad you got to comment. When I was working as an automotive mechanic's helper in my teen years I also hung out on weekends at a small local airport and was well aware of leak-down compression testing lo those many years ago. I often wondered why no one in the automotive side of things never seemed to recognize the value of leak-down testing. Simple enough but you get to find out so much about an engine very efficiently.
It's a handy lever. Where I worked, one guy did clonk himself in the head, luckily only needed some stitches. He now works for the FAA.
@@firstielasty1162Do you need a head injury to work for the FAA, or does it just help? 😂
We lived at a fly-in in TX and had a C172 in the hangar. Neighbor was a Delta IA and had a C172 himself just a couple hundred serial numbers apart. We got to the point I would do most of the annuals and he would inspect and correct. What was not included in most was the compression check. He insisted on doing this himself despite the fact I was 6” taller and 50 lbs heavier.
Your customers are blessed to have you around. Giving your customers options is the best way to make sure you see them again. Great old school diagnosis on the leak down.
The GM Boardroom: "Sir I think we're going to have a problem with the valves of these engines" "Rusty, your in charge of the body work, can you make the body rust off the frame in less than 200k miles?" "Sure, sir, well just eliminate the primer" " Perfect" WOW, I SEE WHY YOU ARE THE CEO, SIR.
GM is the new Chrysler...both suck
@@Jerry-jy7jm Well Chrysler crash parts have a fingernail thick of primer. I know because delivered parts for a few Chrysler dealerships.
Great, long lasting, non Japanese cars represent a cascade of serial mistakes by upper management at the top HQ.
@@richardmullins9299 congratulations I can't tell you how much I don't care
Loved that comment. Buick used more rust proofing and body lasted longer than Chevrolet.
I watch your videos over here in the U.K. for a few good reasons, not only you Sir are a gentleman with a lovely wife that you obviously have a great relationship with you and that she backs up in the workshop and business, your skills go without question and are a dying breed theses days 😢 now this video of today is especially important to me as on my 1938 Sunbeamtalbot 10 sports Tourer and after fitting an vacuum gauge last year noticed she wasn’t quite right on the tick over / idle ! So did a pressure test and 3 out of the 4 cylinders were 110 psi which is correct for these low compression side valve engines but number 3 cylinder was only 30 psi so I’ve just purchased a leak down tester like the one you used! I’ve not done the test yet so your video was very informative for me when I get round to doing the test. Many thanks for your videos and keep up the good work ❤❤
Time to take a break and watch my favorite you tube mechanic.
As someone who speaks Spanish, you're ¡ numero uno señor O! Not a shop, but i also feel the pain of the lack of good machine shops. Our last decent one closed about 5 years ago.
The great state of North Carolina would be proud to have you sir
Preach
Amen brother
Great Job! Again!! Thanks for caring about the customer! So Happy for You all - 920,000 subs!!! A million is coming up!!
Anybody remember when you could just take off the distributor cap and look at where the rotor was pointing? Those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end, we'd sing and laugh forever and a day.
it was a simpler time. point the rotor at #1, and you were off to the races.
Nice one Mary🤣
Yes but you didn’t have computer to say which cylinder was the problem
15 years from now, people will be making these types of comments when EVs/Hybrids/alternative fuel vehicles become the standard. We evolve to survive.
Those are the days that we thought would never end... yes they should've went on and on my friend... some people, stared wanting them tight emissions and not have to put up with things, so... those are they days that we thought would never end.. yes they shouldve went on and on my friend..
I appreciate the way you go about your business. It is evident you care about your customers. Thank you for being honest and representing auto technicians well.
Did a timing belt on a friend’s PT Cruiser the other day. It’s crazy, but the car was effectively mechanically totaled when the belt broke. All the repair quotes were more than the value of the car. Not to mention the shops wanted to look for valve damage before doing the belt. I decided it was worth a bet given everything I read about them surviving broken belts. It was okay and the car runs great. With 20 year old cars, the math just doesn’t always make sense when it comes to an auto shop. That truck needs to find a shadetree with more time than money.
Lots of engines with timing belts are considered "safe" in that there is no risk of piston/valve contact when the belt fails. A little online research can clue you in. Shops now days can't be bothered with actually diagnosing an issue they just want to throw superficial parts at the problem. Eric is the exception to that rule. That's why he's killing it.
@@beefeekeefee my understanding on the 2.4 is that there’s a chance the valves hit each other. Particularly if it strips teeth.
If I was unfortunate enough to be driving around in a PT cruiser and the belt snapped I would look on it as a sign to get a decent car, PT Cruiser's aren't even worth the $30 cost of a new belt.
@@slacko1971that's for damn sure!!!!
@@beefeekeefeeA shop has to provide warranty on its work, so any halfway decent shop will check for consequentional damage first.
It's awful that machine shops are closing, mostly because of bottomline. Sad world today it is . Thanks Mr O.
I'm curious if there 's a market for a machine shop with decent price/quality? Must be a reason why Napa closed their shops? Not getting enough jobs?
@@magnusstuff a lot of new car engines can't be bored out, they are already over bore spec from the factory, I had to make my own lathe to turn my bugs brake hubs, and flywheel since no one can do them anymore. Making a shaper machine to plane the heads now. Then the boring machine for cylinder sleeves. Got a nice 4" shaft to support the bore head.
I'm guessing they closed them so they could hire cheaper employees.
@@magnusstuff People are more interested in getting the latest iPhone these days than thinking about their transportation. For some people in the US a vehicle is just a roof over their head.
@@robertsmith2956 I'm too old for this, am getting upset about things produced to work for a short time then to be thrown in the bin because they can't be repaired... Didn't we all realize that was a bad thing back in the 1970s?
@@GeorgeKennedy-u4r We live in strange times indeed. In some places, we are not allowed to work on our own cars for liability reasons and over exaggerated excuses. I suspect even top quality parts are not even designed to last more than 30% of the life span of original equipment manufacturer parts.
It's also tough to get by, not even owning a smartphone. Everything is computerized and just strictly by the book all the time. They don't even want you to work on your car in a junkyard. Pro tip: don't call and ask. I have seen some people jacking up their cars and literally working on them in auto part stores.
Not many mechanics around that are honest as you!! Your customers must love having you as their mechanic!!
Great call Eric .I think one day Machine shop's will be history. I only know of a couple where I live and no one has much good to say about them.All the great Machinist are gone.And if that truck was mine I wouldn't put a dime in it.especially with the amount of miles on it.Thank you for the great video and educational information.
I have NOT regretted subscribing to SMA Auto, since I did, after hearing about it over and over and over again. There's a reason why people "In-the-know" ❤ this knowledgeable channel❕️❕️❕️
Now onto the ultimate disaster
The cvt transmission
You would be open with welcome arms in the South. We would help you get the wheels off your mobile home,. bring a few warshers and dryers for the yard. Maybe even spruce the place up with a frig or two that Mrs. O could grow peppers in. Come on down! (But you better not miss dropping videos on the old U-Tube!)
Code enforcement would be on you like white on rice
I'm from Alabama and you would fit in JUST fine. We love guys like you down here.
Had one of these a while back. Came from down south, A real beauty vs our typical rust belt. Same issue with #5 cylinder. Local machine shop rebuilt head for $340. But it became a rabbit hole. 180,000 miles and over the next year, new starter, new alternator, new cam sensor, then timing chain. I heard it drove another six months and a rod came out of the block. Far too much money put in the old girl. Beware the rabbit hole!
Like you approach to concerns. Valuable infomation for customer to have when making decisions on how much work to do now and what the future holds for him and his car.
I admire your honesty.
It's a lot of fun being honest in the car repair business. They say Truth is stranger than fiction so not many people believe you when you tell it. Then you can sit back and wait for their thanks when they figure it out. Oh what a feeling.
22:59 "Where did my ratchet go"...welcome to my world! Only for me it would be, where did my ratchet go, what did I do with the coil pack, where is my compression tester...! Love your channel!
I've got 333K miles on my 4.2. I'm the only one who wrenches on it. Misfires were repaired with plugs/coils. Hopefully I haven't jinxed myself...😂
I have 200k on mine and its just starting to get a stumble at idle, but it hasn't gotten worse in the last 20k so maybe it will only get so bad lol
@@JackS425 FYI, another item I repaired that caused random misfires and a rich condition was a leaking intake gasket and failing fuel regulator. At the same time I carefully cleaned the carbon in the head intake ports using brass brushes. Idle returned to factory smooth. This was a meticulous 3 day repair for me.
An honest mechanic is a wonderful find wish you were in my area I would trust everything you say and do
Congratulations on the 900,000+ subscribers!!!
Mr O. You do honest work. Which is hard to come by in today’s world . Don’t worry what ppl say on here. Keep up the good work. Also keep putting out video when possible. Love all your videos. Great education videos.
Ford had this issue on the 5.8 in the F series trucks . Cylinder 4 ran hotter than the others due to the brake booster being so close it held the exhaust heat. I'd almost bet that cylinder 6 on this motor runs hotter due to it being crammed under the cowl like that. The old air cooled Vw's had similar issues due to the oil cooler restricting air flow over cylinder 4 as well.
But as you've seen on identifix the cylinder that dies is random.
Done this diagnosis and fix a couple of times on different engines now, and it's truly random which valve/seat gives up. Sometimes they get pitted and don't seal, sometimes they burn to lean and overheat the valve. Or the cylinder burns oil, cakes the valve with carbon and it overheats and doesn't seal any more. Could also be a manufacturing defect/slight imperfection in the material etc.
Very hard to say.
These engines aren't air cooled, they use fluid to exchange heat in radiators
@@tschuuuls486 identifix means nothing for whatever being worked on. Might just need some valve springs.
Machine shops are getting rare these days. The ones that are left won't answer there phones any more. I had to home hillbilly machine my sons old 97 Honda Head the other day . It worked! It is the video before last on my channel. Not worth my time though, but it was for my son so I did it.
With that many miles on the odometer, in the long run a rebuilt engine with a warranty is the best way to go. Putting on a new head and you know it's gonna start using oil. It's almost a guarantee!
All this depending upon how bad the rust is underneath and if the customer wants to keep it another (?) amount of years.
Good one Mr. O, nice to see Mrs. O and hear Luna.
Depends how bad the rust is, if it's only got another year or two in it then probably not worth the expense.
@@ferrumignis
The Rust was horrendous when he went under the vehicle.
The spare tire rim was solid rust. Frame about the same.
People who say stuff like "Oh ya just slap a new head on it" or "Just drop in another engine" as if nothing else will be found along the way and the parts are nearly free and readily available also seem to have a bunch of almost fixed "waiting on part a,b,c" vehicles filling up the yard waiting to go up for sale as "Ran when parked"
Thanks for the video!
You will fit well in the south
I really like that relay trick that you did to get the cylinder up. I never even thought of doing that. I'm sure that doesn't work with even a vehicle, but that was neat. Good video.
If NY inspections will fail it that could complicate things, but here in New Mexico we don't have annual inspections, so I'd throw a re-man alternator at it to keep the engine cranking and tell the customer the vehicle is at the end of its life. Advise him to use it around town only, go to the grocery store, school and post office, but no long trips and keep driving it until it finally goes belly up. If he can get use out of it that way for another 10K or so then a $200 alternator swap seems like good economics.
I have subscribed to a few youtube mechanics. Most of them have gone from repairs to do stupid videos about tuning, racing and other daft things. I am so glad you stayed true to this job. Always a treat to watch your videos. Many thanks and hope you never stop.
If it was mine I’d just get the alternator fixed and run it like it, it’s still cranking.
I would do the same.
Run it and try some fuel additives to clean the valves .
What's the worst that could happen lol
This guy is in for new mortgage with wheels , bought at The Used Car & Truck Circus
you can bet it's way down on MPG and the trans probably has codes, many bearing related items,rust- people that don't have the money pay ridiculous prices
and loan fees-
Rebuilt alternator…Napa special!…and run it 😋
Hey buddy long time viewer first time poster....I have to say I watch in amazement of your skills. I have worked on my own vehicles for decades and am in complete awe of your talent. If I were in your neck of the woods I would certainly want you working on my cars. Its rare today to find anyone willing to put in the work to actually find and fix cars now days. Most shops just scan and replace and hope for the best. I can and do appreciate a true diagnostic technician. thank you for what you do. Hopefully you can find an apprentice to pass this vast amount of skill and knowledge onto when the time come for a well deserved retirement.
Wrenching with Kenny came down to North Carolina from New York. He likes it.
Eric o doesn't ever mention leaving New York. Sure him and Mrs O have there families there and wouldn't want to leave because that man can go anywhere and be great
@@Mine-zn7op Less snow, less ice, less salt, fewer rusted out vehicles, more comfortable climate, nice southern people, what’s not to like, but Eric and Mrs. O have a nice place and lots of family, and that is important.
I am a DiY'er and your channel is tops for auto repair content. Always always educational! Thank you.
I know you don't care, but how I check TDC/ compression stroke is I made a contraption from an old compression tester. No Schrader valve, screw it into the spark plug hole, and on the end where the gauge should be, I just put a balloon over it. When you bar the engine over, the balloon will obviously inflate. Seems better to me than putting a screwdriver down the cylinder and watching it go up and down. Plus, it gives me a reason to go buy the kids a bunch of balloons.
I love how you introduce your tools. Like the old Let's Make a Deal with Monty Hall!
900K 😎 - My brother lives in a 2008 ford transit van full time, he works hard for a living 6 days a week and he loves his van. recently he started to feel a pulsing with his foot on the clutch peddle and a slight knocking sound so he contacted a UK company called Mr Clutch and they said it was definitely his clutch that was gone so he booked it in to get it done. On the way to their workshop the engine started to lose power so he left it with them and they said it sounded like a diesel knock and checked some things and cut a long story short he got his van back and it wasn't fixed. He then contacted a Diesel Injection specialist because he wanted the Injectors removed / tested/cleaned and when he got there the guy said it didn't sound like a diesel problem but if he wanted he would look at the engine to find out what the problem was. Two days later he told by brother the little end in the top of the conrod had gone in one of the cylinders and he quoted my brother about £4000 to rebuild the engine but said he would still need to get his injectors cleaned and it would be silly not to put a recon turbo and new clutch in at the same time. The van has some bad rust underneath it so looks like that's going to the scrapyard.
I have tagged along with you so long that i picked up on the poor starting condition immediately.
Greetings from an European IT Guy.
Thank you for your videos, it feels nice when you take us along for the ride, time and again.
I believe the word you’re looking for is “crunk”
As in. “Crunk the car up Roscoe!”
Part of your southern vernacular edjumacation !
You don’t see many of TrailBlazers roaming the southern roadways anymore. The fan clutches would throw a code down here when failing among other things you mentioned.
Hey fella.. we don't all talk like that in the South. Y'all pipe down up there
Btw Eric IS a Southern honky-tonk country man whether he'll admit it or not
I like it when batteries have side and top posts you can use !
Sad many machine shops are closing. Transmission as well.
I can confirm that. The job I do gives me first hand access to these shops. No one wants to get in to the trades!
we had three trans shops in my area....now down to one...everything is throwaway now
@@workingshlub8861 same here. Last year a few transmission shops closed doors. Taxes and Cost forced anyone wanting to take over to step away. One shop the grandfather started in the 60s the son was running it and grandson to take over, then one day it was closed and some big money invertors purchased the land and the shop is no more.
Overall vehicles today (2024) are much better built then they used to be. Fewer breakdowns = smaller repair market = closed shops. I would expect a new Toyota or Honda or Mazda to last 250,000 miles with nearly zero issues. The gravy train of endless broken small block chevys and 4L60Es has ended.
Ha not anymore but you gave the japs your American monry
If you decide to come south, Florida would be glad to have you! 🔧💪
As a Yankee who moved down south over a year ago I can confirm that we stand out to them ! By the way If you say you are from up north everybody down south by default calls you a New Yorker (which I'm not from) and NYC to be precise! I'll leave at that lol
A lot of us move down south when we retire. People are just basically people wherever you go, with some cultural differences thrown in. Being pleasant & respectful goes a long way.
Most likely your attitude is the cause.
@@rickylee2477 No! They are surprised how nice I am. Apparently I just talk different!
Really hope $90 an hr is wrong. If so your under selling selling yourself. Your knowledge and dedication is worth far more than that. Your town is lucky to have you. Keep the videos comming.
Shout out to Mrs. O for dressing nicely for the video.
Not only are your diagnostic techniques excellent, but the advice given to the customer is very good as well.
Kudos.
Now if you could only find a valve lapping attachment for Mr. Wiggly.
Excellent diagnosis as always, another thing to consider is the rotten rear cross member meaning the truck hasnt got much longer to live anyway.
So hard to believe that’s the same car that you started with, the paint turned out beautiful I can’t wait to see it with the red stripes. 👍
Eric, You would fit in great down here in South Florida, I think we have more New Yorkers' down here than natives.
Great video! thanks for bringing in the two stroke power tool! that added just the right ambiance.
Lawn mower guy is diversifying...😅
There is going to be a huge problem in the US as older people retiring and younger people only want to be influencers or work on a computer. Machine shops around here closed as the owners were in their 70’s or 80’s and no one wanted to take over their businesses. Same here with mechanics, truck drivers and anyone in the trades. Handymen in short supply and they charge what they want and you get on a waiting list! I’m in my 60’s and I do everything and anything for people, and when I pass away, who will do it? 🤷♂️ They even call me to jump start their vehicles because no one even knows how to do that?
Really like this guy. Incredibly knowledgeable, thorough. And nearly as important, words of wisdom like "when you've seen one hole, you've seen 'em all".
You'd fit in just fine down South, Mr. O. People down here are wonderful!
This was a great diagnosis and approach on how to move forward. Being that any low milage engines are most likely hard to find for this make and model, it's just not cost prohibitive to keep unfortunately. Maybe shop around in the States for a whole engine and transmission, but it's the freight that will get you.
On the flip side you can toss an alternator at it and drive it till she quits. Maybe try a fuel system treatment to clean the valves? Who knows. Even as it is it should last another year or two. That is unless the frame is rotted out?
I don't think I've ever had a cylinder that read 200psi. I noticed holes in the frame back by the exhaust pipe. Maybe it's time...
My GMC Envoy reads from 195-210 on all cylinders. These engines are really great, but it seems like there's ones that die at 100k and ones that last to 400k and very few in between.
I noticed the frame corrosion too. If the frame/body was sound it might be different, but... Crusher City.
190 psi is spec for my Toyota. I tested compression and each cylinder is exactly equal at 190 psi. I'm using some oil though and have a borescope with articulating camera in the amazon cart. It'd be nice if all it needed is a piston soak to free up the rings, but exact issue is yet to be determined. SMA videos have been an inspiration to DIY the diagnosis at least.
The spare tire rim was total rust and the frame rails were completely rusted. Yeah a good frame inspection is due prior to any work.
A clean and organized shop is a sign of a clean and organized mind. I would never take my cars to a messy shop.
$90 an hour is more than reasonable..
The shops where I live are $120-130 an hour and they are terrible all around, no matter what they're supposed to be fixing they don't do very good work, leave your vehicle a mess, and on top of it take forever to get anything done, and when they do claim your vehicle is done you go to get it and it is still on the lift in the bay not even close to being done....they have pretty horrible management, and their mechanics are far from good, yet they claim they are certified yeah, they're not.
@@wildbill23c A buddy of my late father had a Firestone shop and I went there back in 2017 to have shock mounts replaced. their labor rate back then was $150!! Plus the parts prices were obscene. My dad's minivan needed new struts. that shop wanted to charge $240 per strut. Geesh.
Had my vehicle to the dealership yesterday. The labor alone was 200$/hr. I wish South Main Auto was closer to my location!
All the other trades expect doctor salarys now,especially deck builders.
Careful -- a reader could take that two different ways. 😊
Great idea and explanation on finding TDC on cylinder. That's a tip I'll remember
When I was a kid we were on a trip and the fuel pump went on our ‘58 Pontiac. I still remember my Dad saying “well, I think it’s time to get rid of it since it has 80,000 miles”. This TB has 180K+. They sure last a lot longer today.
I've got 202K on my 07 Trailblazer. Runs great no money light. (knock on wood) I've only put about $500 worth of parts into her. Got it in 2010.
My late father bought new and got rid of everything at 60,000. He'd be astounded I have 250,000 on my car.
Back long ago, my day had a 1954 Pontiac with a straight 8, he had a nephew add an oil filter, back then that was an aftermarket thing. All was fine until one time one of his nephew's workers just spun the lid on and didn't make sure the gasket was in place after the oil and filter change. It took about 3 to 4 miles all the oil got pumped out of the engine. It wasn't to long after that he got rid of that car, which was too bad, because he lived about 10 minutes from work, it had around 33,000 ish miles on it after close to 9 years. Oh well, stuff happens.
I definitely remember when a car going over 100k was a rare and network noteworthy thing
@@jamespfitz Feel free to explain to me why an engine today magically somehow lasts longer when bearing tolerances are far tighter today, meaning increased wear by default..
There are more prior-gen 5.7 SBC's out there than anything, I've personally seen examples that are close to half a million miles without a rebuild..
Then there's the fact that modern engines build up carbon exponentially faster, I've seen endless direct injection designs breaking before they even hit 40,000 miles..
Every aspect of modern engine design is based around EPA regulations tightening for emissions, which creates nothing but problems for longevity & I will die on that hill
So great to watch you. Years gone by I was a mechanic, I moved to fixing X-ray machines. Your outstanding repairs with prints is so outstanding. Bad grounds an modules, I do under stand prints. But using your scanning tool, most of my newer X-ray machines are now computer controlled. I have to log if I can to get error codes. But if the unit is so broken. That is where our/your experience comes in. Nice video's. Is it worth the cost of the repair?
Sorry you lost your machine shop Mr. O
Eric O You cats will fit in just fine in any southern state. You are a great mechanic and from all that I've seen you're honest and like to talk(bs) like most country boys I know. You and Mrs. O will fit in fine anywhere you go.
Nice diag sorry for the customer
Kinda lucky here in gresham oregon.... 2 machine shops within 15 minutes of my shop. Both going strong and planning on being around Fer a long time... both have great machinists !
Id replace the alternator, drive it, and get another year or two out of it.
Same. 5 out of 6 isn't that bad, lol.
But it won't pass inspection, and maybe melt the converter if it gets worse. If you can change the alternator yourself, go ahead and throw in a $50 used/cheap one in and drive it, but if you have to pay someone by the hour and they want to use quality parts, then absolutely not worth it.
Run it and try some fuel additives to clean the valves.
@boatdr.t5737
he said they are pitted, so no cleaning would fix their seal
@@boatdr.t5737 this isn't a dirty valve issue. The valves were updated on later engines to fix a materials problem. And it's extremely likely the seats were updated as well. The options are spend a few hundred dollars on a new alternator and sell/scrap the vehicle when the inspection expires, which is less than a year away and this problem won't go away with any fuel additives. Or replace the head, and the timing components. The engine at this point is salvageable. But that is a lot of money considering it still needs an alternator. A reman engine is a possibility as well but it's going to cost more and will still need a new alternator.
The true question is, would all that money be better spent as a down payment on another vehicle? Sure the repaired engine will go another 100k+, but will the body last that long, or the transmission?
When y'all get tired of the cold weather, ya'll are more than welcome to come to South Georgia. I'm sure we can find a city that has a shop on South Main Street...lol
If ya ever move south, come to Oklahoma. You'd fit right in.
You seem like a pretty good mechanic. Next time I go to the Bath VA hospital, I'll stop by if I've got any auto issues.
Here at the dealer.... I replaced the head on one of these for leaking exhaust valves. Installed a GM reman head. AND then 3 more heads, to get one that actually had compression. Every time it was a different cylinder misfiring. There is some truth when I say Failblazers SUCK!!!
It’s great to see your brutal honesty, recommending to not spend good money on charging problem when the engine is worn out. Better to put the money on a newer vehicle.
Eric O.: "Put it all the way to the floor and crank it until I tell you to stop." I bet Mrs. O. loves it when you talk dirty to her like that! 🤣
You really ARE that guy 🤣
More innuendos in bleeding brakes😂
Good job. Just started watching your videos you a someone I can actually learn stuff from.